Journalist. Mother. Bunny enthusiast. Pop culture junkie.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Believe it or not, there was actually a time when gay men were forced to hide their sexuality and flamboyancy from the entire world. It wasn't as accepted as it is today. (Although we still have a reeeeally long ways to go, let's be real).

Some men hid it rather well. Others...well, let's just say it was blindingly obvious, but the world was too naive to put two and two together.

I'm showcasing a few of those men in a feature I'm calling, "You really didn't know HE was gay?!".

George Michael

Teenage girls were obsessed with George Michael in the 1980s. Like, they literally swooned at his concerts. They dreamed of marrying him. They wanted to rip his clothes off and jump him.

...and that was AFTER this video came out. I cannot fathom how teenage girls saw this music video and still didn't realize George Michael was the biggest sun-tanned gaylien pop music ever produced.

This music video is not just George Michael telling people he's gay, he is basically screaming it from the rooftops. He's begging you to know the truth.

And yet millions of unsuspecting love-struck girls still wanted to sit on his face and thought he'd like it.

Liberace

Liberace's sexuality did not cross the minds of wholesome 1950s audiences. It never even occurred to them that Liberace was gay. They thought he was just...theatrical.

The Midwestern musician was obsessed with high fashion, his physical appearance, and putting on the most spectacular show on earth. For nearly 20 years, he was the highest paid entertainer in Hollywood. He was a diva.

Although to be fair to his confused fans, Liberace did try to dispel the homosexuality rumor for years, even going so far as to publicly count all the ways he thought women were so fabulous. But the media had its suspicions.

In the end, the now-deceased superstar was officially outed by Betty White last year. During an interview, the actress admitted not only had Liberace been the biggest queen in the world, but she had often been his "beard" to distract the media from finding out the truth.

Rock Hudson

Let's see what we have here: a super hot rich successful gym nut who has a heart of gold, a designer wardrobe, and oozes with sexy charm? Yeah, if Rock Hudson met an average woman today, she would already be suspicious.

But Rock was an actor. A good actor. Even one of his closest friends and co-stars, Doris Day, claimed she had no idea he was gay. His bff Elizabeth Taylor, however, wasn't left in the dark. His true heart was shielded by numerous publicity shots of him out on the town with gorgeous young starlets. Ironically, the public assumed he was quite the womanizer.

In a desperate attempt to preserve his wholesome masculine image, Universal Studios hastily arranged his marriage to a young secretary, terrified newspapers would reveal his elaborate hidden gay lifestyle.

In an odd turn of events, it was the Daily Mirror which revealed his true nature. In 1985, the tabloid revealed proof that Rock had been arrested before he was famous, at 27-years-old, for having sex with a man in a London bath house. What's even more shocking is that the tabloid was all ready to produce the story when it happened in 1952, but decided not to publish it. The Daily Mirror literally saved Rock Hudson's career before it even started.

I doubt the publication would show the same respect today, right?

I adore all three of these men and while it pains me they had to hide who they were to the public, it does amuse me that most people genuinely did not realize these guys were gay. I mean, really.

Anyway, I'm proud to live in a world that seems to be heading in the right direction, despite attempts from ignorant people who are trying to stop the inevitable: equality.

Everyone in this world deserves respect, despite their ethnicity, race, religion, or sexual orientation.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Nancy and I became close friends around seven or eight years ago, when we were in college. I couldn't have asked for a better fit. She was sarcastic, intelligent, modern, and practical. Sort of like Daria.

We both adored Jane Austen. Our guilty pleasures included the same stupid reality shows. Our book lists held the same titles. We could talk for hours about anything and everything.

But Nancy brought out an ugly side of me. She loved to talk about her friends behind their backs. I would often find myself caught up in dissing everyone and everything.

She wasn't very clever at hiding her disdain for my life either. It was clear she hated my boyfriend, couldn't stand my best friend, and thought my blog was stupid. It wasn't uncommon for her to snidely remark, "don't post these on your blog" after I took photos of us together.

One thing I noticed about Nancy is that she never seemed satisfied with anything, especially her own life. There were certain girls she was desperate to impress--these boring, mildly attractive hipsterish girls with etch and sketch personalities.

I don't know why she was drawn to these people. It was weird, especially considering she already had a good thing going. She had interesting friends, she was dating a decent guy, and she had a close relationship with her sisters, something I always envied.

As if those clues weren't enough, I had other people telling me for years how much they couldn't stand Nancy. And I always defended her. I figured they were just jealous of a strong, independent career woman with a mind of her own.

Our five-year friendship ended one summer, when Nancy stopped returning my calls, texts, and e-mails. She eventually blocked me on gmail, facebook, and twitter. It was so completely out of the blue, I felt surely there had been a mistake. After all, it's not like I had done anything wrong. There was no fight. There had been no bad words spoken. I had actually just seen her at her birthday party a week beforehand and we had said goodbye amicably, promising to make plans.

But I was shut out. No warning. No explanation. No apology.

It was bad timing too. I was still mourning the recent loss of my grandmother. I had just been laid off from my job. I already felt worthless.

I e-mailed her, asking for a reason. She owed me that, right?

Nancy wrote back stating she didn't think we had anything in common anymore. That was it.

Five years of friendship. Five years of hanging out. Five years of sharing our personal lives together. Five years.

And after weeks of crying, months of licking my wounds, and now years of acceptance, I finally understand what she meant.

Friday, May 25, 2012

The other day, I showcased a few heiresses who stood out among a sea of Paris Hiltons.

Now, I'm going to show you a few guys who decided to follow their hearts as well.

They're hot. They're rich. And as far as I know, they're single.

Ummmmm yes, please.

Enjoy!

Count Gian Luca Passi De Preposulo (The Dapper Gent)

A well-dressed (or undressed) nobleman with a heart of gold, Gian's aristocratic family dates back 1,000 years. The handsome Italian could easily live off his parents' money and travel around the world, chasing skirts. But that is so not his style.The charming 29-year-old is currently the Director of Public Relations at Armani.

When he's not busy being an important figure in the fashion world, Gian enjoys hanging out with his close friends George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Tom Cruise in Hollywood.

His sweet demeanor is not just an act. One of Gian's most famous quotes is:

"It’s not the title that’s important—you have to be a count inside yourself."

Awwwwwww!

Alex Flick (The Hollywood Guy)

Believe it or not this Mercedes Benz heir (and German royal!) is actually a pretty talented documentary filmmaker and photographer. The London-based director got his big break by defying his father and quitting college to make his first film. Over the past few years, he has traveled all over the world, capturing his adventures on film. The 26-year-old funds all his films himself, with no financial help from his father.

A couple years ago, Alex released Calabash, a well-received documentary which chronicled the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

His most recent film, Duke’s World, has been submitted to several international film festivals. It revolves around an impoverished town in South Carolina, where residents struggle to survive.

When Alex isn't working, he spends a lot of time on special art projects with his cousin and close friend, Princess Elisabeth, who you might recognize as the Vogue style editor from my last post.

Julio Mario Santo Domingo, III (The Record Spinner)

Born to a powerful, wealthy Colombian dynasty, Julio was brought up in a world of privilege. He grew up in Switzerland, got his degree in Art History from Boston University, and divides his time between family mansions sprawled all over the world. But a few years ago, Julio decided to follow his passion: dance music, specifically psychedelic techno.

In 2008, he founded his own record label, Sheik n' Beik and he performs as a DJ at the hottest clubs and parties all around the globe. His favorite places to spin tracks are Ibiza and Frankfurt. The 27-year-old also just recently purchased a sprawling penthouse in New York City.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

I just know my real parents are out there, waiting for me in their mansion, desperate for me to come home to their billion dollar arms.

It's tragic.

Anyway, I've decided to showcase three incredible women who are living my life.

These heiresses chose not to be the Paris Hiltons of the world. They grew up with passion. They worked hard to achieve their goals. They went to college. They've held internships. Now, they're ready to take on the world.

Enjoy!

Dasha Zhukova (The Art World It Girl)

Her father is a Russian billionaire and her mother is a biologist. She was raised in the United States, partly in Houston and partly in Los Angeles.

The 30-year-old is queen of the Russian arts scene, after founding the legendary Garage Center for Contemporary Culture, which is basically a prominent venue for artists in Moscow. It holds conferences, workshops, and meetings for the who's who of the modern art world.

The stunning socialite is currently dating a middle-aged billionaire, Roman Abramovich, who has a shady past. He has powerful political ties in Europe and boasts 40 body guards, making him the most protected businessman in the world. He actually left his wife and five kids for Dasha. The two have a son together.

Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis (The Fashion Journalist)

This German beauty was the first princess to have a blog (appropriately titled The Princess Diaries). The writer and editor, living in London, journaled about her love for high fashion, her passion for art, and her globe-trotting, glamorous life. She ended the blog a couple years ago, promising her followers she was going to write a book.

The 30-year-old is currently the Style Editor-at-Large for Vogue Magazine. She has also written a book, "The Faith of Children," which chronicles her spirituality and her life as a royal.

Holly Branson (The Girl Next Door)

Holly is the daughter of Sir Richard Branson, a British billionaire who founded the Virgin mega-brand. Ever since she was a little girl, Holly dreamed of being a doctor. Yes. An actual physician. The 30-year-old beauty recently achieved her goal and got married to her high-school sweetheart. She also helps out with her father's business.

Although the blue jean clad Holly leads a simple life and often jokes she would make a very, very boring reality show, she is actually just being modest. The outgoing socialite is extremely close friends with the British royal family, particularly William and Kate. Her wedding ceremony took place on her father's private Caribbean island. Oh, and she's gorgeous. Not such a simple life, is it?

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

My parents and I used to watch it every Sunday evening. I always looked forward to it. My impression of the baby character was so uncanny, it made me the most popular girl in my second-grade class. All my friends would beg me to contort my face and screech, "I'm the baby, gotta love me!"

Well, the other night, after fondly recollecting happy childhood memories, I went on youtube to refamiliarize myself with the show.

And after watching ten minutes of an episode, only one thought raced through my mind:

WHAT THE FUCK WAS I THINKING?!?!

The show is awful. It is creepy. It is wrong on so, so many levels. I can't even comprehend how it got passed by network executives.

How did my parents let me watch it?! What is wrong with them?! It makes me question their parenting skills.

For those of you unfamiliar with the series, because you were fortunate enough to be born after 1990, here is the premise:

A family of average American dinosaurs, the Sinclairs, live together in a charming little bungalow. There is a mom, dad, teenage brother, teenage sister, baby, and grandma. They are blue-collar. The dad is lazy and watches too much television. The baby only gets pleasure in making everyone else miserable, bonking the father on the head with a frying pan, and shoving his face with food. The grandmother is a bitch. The kids are too cool for school. The mom is frustratingly naive.

For a family show, it took on some pretty eye-opening topics, such as sexual harassment, homosexuality, religion, racism, masturbation, and drug abuse, to name a few.

If I remember correctly, and um, this is a spoiler alert, the last episode pretty much results with the family's demise as the ice age kills everybody off.

Friday, May 18, 2012

Her voice revealed a broken heart behind a cheerful tune. Glittered disco balls danced on her flawless ebony skin. She was at the right place, at the right time. She craved fame and it ate her whole. How do you escape from a reflection of yourself, frozen in time?

She didn't.

God had to create disco music so I could be born and be successful.

I am sensual and very physical. I'm very erotic. But my sexuality exists on a sort of a fantasy level.

I don't care if I'm beautiful; I don't care what I am on the outside. It isn't about the outside.

I don't really try to predict what can and will happen with things. Sometimes you think something's gonna be a huge success, and it isn't. And sometimes you pay no attention to something whatsoever, and God just makes it into everything.

I like to know that someone is stronger than I am. I want to be able to know that if I get tired, somebody is there to hold up the fort. I like knowing that I can't pick a refrigerator alone. God did not make me strong enough to do that.

I'm just an ordinary person that did some extraordinary things.

I want a private life, I truly do. I'm not just pretending to want one like lots of celebrities.

Nobody wants you to stop, obviously because you're a moneymaking machine. But you have to make the decision and you have to move forward. So I took time off to have babies and do all that.

Most people don't get called a queen. I appreciate the reference and that I've gotten to be part of people's lives. But now I have to make a new title for myself. That diva thing is getting a little used.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Ladies and gentlemen, I am officially back from Music City, otherwise known as Nashville, Tennessee.

There was some fabulousness mixed in with drama and stress, which I really don't want to get into right now.

So, I thought I would share with you my photos instead.

You will notice there are no photos of me. I have decided to boycott having my photo taken until I lose 20 pounds.

Enjoy!

One of my favorite things to do in Nashville was go shopping, of course.

Downtown Nashville boasts an area called "Music Row" where all the country western bars, shops, restaurants, and clubs are located. It's a colorful spot. Kind of reminds me of a Las Vegas themed Mayberry.

There were so many cool vintage stores there, selling everything from cowboy boots to leather jackets.

I bought a special edition Dolly Parton CD at this 63-year-old record shop.

Elvis was everywhere!

I spent one day touring the Belle Mead plantation, which was home to one of the wealthiest southern families during the Civil War. It was breathtakingly gorgeous. I edited this photo to make it look like I had taken it during that time period. It looks more haunting that way, I think.

This is where the family who owned the plantation was buried. I got chills being there. Since it was a chilly day, my family had the place pretty much to ourselves.

This is a servant's cottage along the property.

I mocked this horse, but he either ignored me or played dumb, so I didn't receive a response.

I also toured the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry, which are not pictured here. (The photos weren't as exciting).